A passport serves many purposes. The document establishes someone’s identity and citizenship, and providing the document to immigration authorities is necessary to enter foreign countries or return to the United States. Parents know that they need a passport when leaving or entering the United States, but they may not realize that their newborn infants require one as well.
Passports and newborns
No matter how young or old someone is, entry into a foreign territory and reentry into the United States requires a passport. Immigration authorities cannot give a newborn a pass because they must establish who the young one is and the baby’s citizenship. Thankfully, parents intending to travel with a newborn only need to follow specific steps detailed under immigration law to procure one.
Acquiring a passport requires the completion and submission of a Form DS-11. Submitting the form is not enough, though. Supporting evidence of U.S. citizenship, parental identity, photos, fees, and more must accompany the submission.
Not all babies have their Social Security numbers at the time of travel. Parents would need to address the lack of an SSN with a signed statement. The wording on the statement must be precise under the law.
Avoiding problems when seeking a baby’s passport
Parents may benefit from procuring passports for newborns as soon as possible. Even if there are no plans to travel immediately, having a passport ready could help avoid rushing if unexpected emergency travel arises.
Some parents may be unfamiliar with how passport processing works. They may be applying for their passports for the first time. Applying for oneself and a baby simultaneously could prove stressful and challenging. Seeking assistance with the process might lead to avoiding mistakes, such as making errors or omissions in the official paperwork.